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D-League coming to T.O.?

Bryan Colangelo sees the D-League as a basketball "incubator," a place to train players and coaches and front office staff and Canadians, an extension of the Raptors in every aspect of the game.

And he sees that parallel organization coming to the Toronto area in the next couple of years.

With the D-League holding its annual showcase this week in Idaho, the prospect of having a Raptor-owned and operated minor league team in Southern Ontario is gaining even more traction in Colangelo's mind.

"We're exploring possible involvement similar to what you see in Los Angeles and San Antonio," Colangelo said yesterday, citing examples of two NBA teams with ownership stakes in minor league teams that operate geographically close to the parent organization.

An Ontario-based D-League team works at many levels, Colangelo thinks. Not only does it "extend the brand" of the Raptors, it gives the team far more control that it has now with its affiliate in Colorado.

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Colangelo envisions a team "fairly close to Toronto" that would allow the Raptors to keep tabs on not only their own D-League-eligible players (draft picks in their first or second seasons) but on other prospects as well. The 14-team league doesn't have a franchise closer to Toronto than Indiana, making it a chore just to scout.

A team in the area would give Colangelo's staff a chance to more easily check out players they may have a future interest in. And getting recognized by NBA scouts or general managers is the goal of every player in the minor league.

"Everybody's going to be watching you," said Portland's Taurean Green, an NBA rookie who spent four games in the D-League this season before being recalled by the Blazers. "All the NBA scouts, NBA GMs, coaches, they keep up with what you're doing down there."

This week's showcase involves all 14 teams in one city for four days, a clearinghouse for scouts and front office personnel. Maurizio Gherardini and scouting director Jim Kelly are representing the Raptors at the Boise, Idaho, event.

Because Toronto has no real say in how its current Colorado affiliate is run, there could be a reluctance to send someone down, not knowing if they'd get the kind of instruction or support the team really wants. With more control, and the right to hire personnel for the minor league, the Raptors could offer organizational consistency.

"If you run a lot of high screen and rolls and there's a player you're looking to develop, you want him to work on his decision making," said Colangelo. "(And) it's a great place to train coaches, trainers, ticket sellers, marketing people."

Colangelo couldn't say when a minor league team might arrive in southern Ontario. He suggested 2009-10 might be the most feasible timeframe, although there is an outside chance that timeline could be shortened by a season.

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The other thing he finds intriguing is the Canadian angle.

"There really isn't a place for Canadian players other than the normal myriad of minor leagues ... it could serve a purpose," he said.

The seven-year-old D-League has become the minor league among several in North America. With the backing of the NBA and a talent pool that makes it more competitive than the others, it's become the place for young, undrafted players to go. There have already been 11 players called up to the NBA from seven teams and that's sure to increase now that teams are allowed to sign players to 10-day contracts.

"It's not like you're playing against slouches," said Portland's Green. "You're playing against hungry guys trying to get into the NBA, so every game is a tough game. Guys are going at you."

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